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Battle of Berestechko
| result = Decisive Polish-Lithuanian victory | combatant1 = Zaporozhian Cossack Crimean Khanate | combatant2 = Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth | commander1 = Bohdan Khmelnytsky Khan İslâm III Giray Toğay bey Some sources (Mikołaj Jemiołowski diary) state that Toğay bey died near Zamosc Ivan Bohun | commander2 = King John II Casimir Jeremi Wiśniowiecki Mikołaj Potocki Stefan Czarniecki Marcin Kalinowski Stanisław Lanckoroński | strength1 = 200,000 totalHrushevsky, M., 2004, History of Ukraine-Rus, Volume Nine, Book One, The Cossack Age, 1650-1653, Toronto: Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, ISBN 1895571227, p. 304 100,000 Cossacks and peasants 50,000 Crimean Tatars Few thousands Turks, and Vlachs | strength2 = 80,000 totalHrushevsky, M., 2004, History of Ukraine-Rus, Volume Nine, Book One, The Cossack Age, 1650-1653, Toronto: Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, ISBN 1895571227, p. 304 17,000 cavalry 16,000 infantry 40,000 levée en masse |casualties1 = 30,000 killedRomuald Romański, Książę Jeremi Wiśniowiecki. p. 338. |casualties2 = less than 1,000 killedGrzegorz Rąkowski, Wołyń. p. 211. }} in Paris]] The Battle of Berestechko ( ; ) was fought "after a two-year truce",Tucker, S.C., editor, A Global Chronology of Conflict, Volume II: 1500-1774, Santa Barbara:ABC-CLIO, 2010, ISBN 9781851096671, p. 621 between the Ukrainian Cossacks, led by Hetman Bohdan Khmelnytsky, aided by their Crimean Tatar allies, and a Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth army under King John II Casimir. Fought over three days from 28 to 30 June 1651, the battle took place in the Polish province of Volhynia, on the hilly plain south of the Styr River.Hrushevsky, M., 2004, History of Ukraine-Rus, Volume Nine, Book One, The Cossack Age, 1650-1653, Toronto: Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, ISBN 1895571227, pp. 304-305 The Polish camp was on the river opposite Berestechko and faced south, towards the Cossack army about two km away, who's right flank was against the Pliashivka (Pliashova) River and the Tartar army on their left flank.Hrushevsky, M., 2004, History of Ukraine-Rus, Volume Nine, Book One, The Cossack Age, 1650-1653, Toronto: Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, ISBN 1895571227, pp. 304 and 313 It was, very probably, the world's largest land battle of the 17th century. The number of Polish troops is uncertain. One of the senior Polish commanders on the day, Duke Bogusław Radziwiłł, wrote that the Polish army had had 80,000 soldiers,Jan Widacki, Kniaź Jarema p. 255. which included "40,000 regulars and 40,000 nobles of the levy en masse, accompanied by roughly the same number of various servants, footmen, and such"Hrushevsky, M., 2004, History of Ukraine-Rus, Volume Nine, Book One, The Cossack Age, 1650-1653, Toronto: Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, ISBN 1895571227, p. 304 Modern historians Zbigniew Wójcik, Józef Gierowski, and Władysław Czapliński have reduced this figure to 60,000-63,000 soldiers.Zbigniew Wójcik, Jan Kazimierz Waza, p. 75; Władysław Czapliński, Glosa do Trylogii, p. 45; Józef Gierowski, Historia Polski, p. 223. The Cossack army totaled 80,000 men, including 28,000-33,000 Tatars and an uncertain number of Ukrainian peasantsTadeusz Wasilewski, Ostatni Waza na polskim tronie. p. 103. or as much as 100,000 men, most of them low-grade foot troops, plus 40,000 to 50,000 allied Crimean Tatar cavalry and a few thousand Turks and Vlachs, for a total of 200,000."Cyprian Pawel Brzostowski's letter of 9 July N.S. from the camp" according to Hrushevsky, M., 2004, History of Ukraine-Rus, Volume Nine, Book One, The Cossack Age, 1650-1653, Toronto: Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, ISBN 1895571227, p. 304 Both sides had about 40,000 cavalry. Fighting was close, with the core of excellent Cossack infantry making up for the weakness of their cavalry; much of the decisive fighting was by the infantry and dismounted dragoons of each side. The Armies On 19 June 1651, the Polish Army numbered 14,844 Polish cavalry, 2,250 German-style cavalry, 11,900 German-style infantry and dragoons, 2,950 Hungarian-style infantry (haiduks), 1,550 Lithuanian volunteers, and 960 Lipka Tatars.Tadeusz Wasilewski, Ostatni Waza na polskim tronie. p. 102. In addition there was a huge militia force, of limited value, numbering 30,000 noblemen of the levée en masse. The Polish commanders were hoping to break into the Cossack ranks with an impetous charge of the famous Polish 'Winged' Hussars - a tactic proven effective in many previous battles, including Kircholm, and Kłuszyn (and which would later prove successful at the 1683 Battle of Vienna against the Turks). The Cossack army were well acquainted with this Polish style of war well, having much experience of fighting against the Poles and alongside them. Their preferred tactic was to avoid an open field battle, and to fight from the cover of a huge fortified camp. First day of battle 2000 Polish cavalry (one regiment under the command of Aleksander Koniecpolski, supported by Jerzy Lubomirski, six pancerni cavalry companies of Jeremi Wiśniowiecki and Winged Hussars under the command of Stefan Czarniecki ) repulsed the Tatars, who suffered heavy losses. During the first day of "skirmishes by the Tatar and Cossack vanguard regiments", the Poles were victorious "since their army sustained that first attack cheerfully and in high spirits".Hrushevsky, M., 2004, History of Ukraine-Rus, Volume Nine, Book One, The Cossack Age, 1650-1653, Toronto: Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, ISBN 1895571227, p. 305 Second day of battle The Poles, encouraged by their success on the first day, deployed all their available cavalry against the "main Tatar horde" and "Cossack vanguard regiments".Hrushevsky, M., 2004, History of Ukraine-Rus, Volume Nine, Book One, The Cossack Age, 1650-1653, Toronto: Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, ISBN 1895571227, p. 305 The Polish infantry and artillery remained in camp and didn't support the cavalry. This time, Tatar cavalry gained the upper hand, pushing the Poles back to their camp but were then "barely repelled" by heavy fire from the Polish infantry and artillery.Hrushevsky, M., 2004, History of Ukraine-Rus, Volume Nine, Book One, The Cossack Age, 1650-1653, Toronto: Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, ISBN 1895571227, p. 305 The Poles lost 300 soldiers, including many officers of "caliber", and the "escort troop of Hetman Mikolaj Potocki".Hrushevsky, M., 2004, History of Ukraine-Rus, Volume Nine, Book One, The Cossack Age, 1650-1653, Toronto: Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, ISBN 1895571227, p. 305 During the second day of the battle, the rebels were victorious, although "the Tatars, too, were unpleasantly surprised by the determination and endurance of the Polish army in both battles and, having suffered rather painful losses of their own, they lost heart".Hrushevsky, M., 2004, History of Ukraine-Rus, Volume Nine, Book One, The Cossack Age, 1650-1653, Toronto: Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, ISBN 1895571227, p. 305 Third day of battle The "king insisted, at a night council, on engaging the enemy in a decisive battle the next day, Friday, 30 June".Hrushevsky, M., 2004, History of Ukraine-Rus, Volume Nine, Book One, The Cossack Age, 1650-1653, Toronto: Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, ISBN 1895571227, p. 305 The Polish army appeared out of the "morning mist in full strength" but only the Tatars engaged in skirmishes which was met by the Polish artillery.Hrushevsky, M., 2004, History of Ukraine-Rus, Volume Nine, Book One, The Cossack Age, 1650-1653, Toronto: Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, ISBN 1895571227, p. 305 At 3 p.m. Duke Jeremi Wiśniowiecki led a successful charge of 18 cavalry companies against the right wing of the Cossack-Tatar Army and "the zealous cavalry attack was a success: it broke up the rows of Cossack infantry and the wagons moving in corral formation".Hrushevsky, M., 2004, History of Ukraine-Rus, Volume Nine, Book One, The Cossack Age, 1650-1653, Toronto: Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, ISBN 1895571227, p. 306 The Polish infantry centre, under the personal command of King John Casimir, advanced slowly forward and "drove the Tatars from the field".Hrushevsky, M., 2004, History of Ukraine-Rus, Volume Nine, Book One, The Cossack Age, 1650-1653, Toronto: Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, ISBN 1895571227, p. 306 During the fighting, a Polish nobleman called Otwinowski noticed the Tatar Khan's standard, and Polish artillery was directed to fire at it. A Tatar standing next to the Khan fell dead. With the battle already turning badly, the Tatar forces panicked, "abandoning the Khan's camp as it stood", with the Khan taking Khmelnytsky and Vyhovsky hostage.Hrushevsky, M., 2004, History of Ukraine-Rus, Volume Nine, Book One, The Cossack Age, 1650-1653, Toronto: Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, ISBN 1895571227, pp. 306-307 With their cavalry support gone, the Cossack wagon-fort, containing the vast bulk of the Cossack army now stood isolated on the battlefield, and in effect was under siege by the Polish army. The siege of the Cossack wagons The Polish army and Cossack camp exchanged artillery fire for ten days while both sides built fortifications, the Polish intent to establish a blockade of the camp.Hrushevsky, M., 2004, History of Ukraine-Rus, Volume Nine, Book One, The Cossack Age, 1650-1653, Toronto: Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, ISBN 1895571227, pp. 314 and 316 Leadership without Khemlnytsky, the Cossacks were commanded by Colonel Filon Dzhalalii, but after a few days he was replaced by Ivan Bohun but some accounts state it was Matvii Hladky.Hrushevsky, M., 2004, History of Ukraine-Rus, Volume Nine, Book One, The Cossack Age, 1650-1653, Toronto: Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, ISBN 1895571227, pp. 314-315 When terms for surrender failed and the Poles dammed the Pliashivka River so as to flood the Cossack Camp, the Poles prepared to attack on July 10, while the Cossacks prepared to flee across the river.Hrushevsky, M., 2004, History of Ukraine-Rus, Volume Nine, Book One, The Cossack Age, 1650-1653, Toronto: Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, ISBN 1895571227, pp. 317-318 When Bohun "went to the crossing point with two thousand cavalrymen and several cannon", the Cossacks thought the officers were fleeing and "everyone panicked in desperation and began to flee wherever he could, worse than at Pyliavtsi".Hrushevsky, M., 2004, History of Ukraine-Rus, Volume Nine, Book One, The Cossack Age, 1650-1653, Toronto: Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, ISBN 1895571227, p. 318 The Polish forces attacked the panicked Cossacks and the battle turned into a slaughter with more than 20,000 killed or drowned.Hrushevsky, M., 2004, History of Ukraine-Rus, Volume Nine, Book One, The Cossack Age, 1650-1653, Toronto: Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, ISBN 1895571227, p. 319 "Khmelnytsky's tent was captured intact, with all his belongings", which included two banners, one he received from John II Casimir's 1649 commission and one from Wladyslaw IV in 1646.Hrushevsky, M., 2004, History of Ukraine-Rus, Volume Nine, Book One, The Cossack Age, 1650-1653, Toronto: Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, ISBN 1895571227, pp. 321-322 Aftermath As the battle ended, King John Casimir made the error of not pressing even harder the pursuit of the fleeing Cossacks, "the first several days following ...defeat of the enemy were so blatantly wasted" but there "was the unwillingness of the nobility's levy en masse to proceed into Ukraine" plus "rainy weather and a lack of food and fodder, coupled with epidemics and diseases that were becoming active in the army, were generally undercutting any energy for war".Hrushevsky, M., 2004, History of Ukraine-Rus, Volume Nine, Book One, The Cossack Age, 1650-1653, Toronto: Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, ISBN 1895571227, p. 361 The "king left the whole army to Potocki" on 17 July N.S. and returned "to Warsaw to celebrate his victories over the Cossacks".Hrushevsky, M., 2004, History of Ukraine-Rus, Volume Nine, Book One, The Cossack Age, 1650-1653, Toronto: Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, ISBN 1895571227, p. 361 After making promises of a pecuniary nature, Khmelnytsky was soon released by the Tatar Khan. He was then able to reassemble the Cossack host, which was able to present a substantial army to confront the Poles at the Battle of Bila Tserkva (1651). Poland and "the bulk of the rebels make peace in the Treaty of Bila Tserkva" on 28 September 1651, which "reduces the number of registered Cossacks from 40,000 to 20,000 and deprives them of the right to settle in or control various provinces of Ukraine previously allowed to them under the Treaty of Zboriv".Tucker, S.C., editor, A Global Chronology of Conflict, Volume II: 1500-1774, Santa Barbara:ABC-CLIO, 2010, ISBN 9781851096671, p. 622 The Ukrainian revolt far from ending would continue for several more years under Khmelnytsky.Tucker, S.C., editor, A Global Chronology of Conflict, Volume II: 1500-1774, Santa Barbara:ABC-CLIO, 2010, ISBN 9781851096671, p. 622 Polish noble families Members of noble families had the personal obligation to take part in the battle with men from their towns and villages. Those who supplied men for this battle included:Sienkiewicz, H., 1898, With Fire and Sword, Boston:Little, Brown and Company, p. 770 *Stefan Czarniecki *Piotr Dołęga-Ossowski *Adam Grzymała-Kazanowski *Mikołaj Janina-Rzeczycki *Marcin Kalinowa-Kalinowski, Hetman *Franciszek Leliwa-Czapski *Zygmunt Przyjemski *General Ubald *Pan Artsishevski *Marek Sobieski (1628-1652) *Jan Sobieski *Ludwik Wejher *Yakob *Konyetspolski *Wladyslaw Dominik Zaslawski Legacy Samuel Twardowski's narrative poem, Civil War, describes the setting for the battle along the Styr River:Hrushevsky, M., 2004, History of Ukraine-Rus, Volume Nine, Book One, The Cossack Age, 1650-1653, Toronto: Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, ISBN 1895571227, pp. 303-304 There is a little town on it, In the middle of Volhynia, called Berestechko, Belonging to the Leszczynski family, that was not as famous in the past As it has now become - both ancient Cannae And Khotyn are far outshone by it, because as many heads here Our eyes have seen as at Thermopylae Or Marathon they counted, although there the whole strength Of Europe and Asia had come together. Since our arrival - hilly roads And steep slopes, until open Meadows unfold near the Styr's Low banks. It was pleasant to look from the south At the pyramid of the Pronskis and the groves that are green In winter always. And to th east there lies as if a natural Field for a camp - and there it was indeed placed Later, but first - this was pondered for a long time. Notes External links * http://www.kismeta.com/diGrasse/Berest.htm Category:Conflicts in 1651 Berestechko Category:1651 in Lithuania Category:Battles involving the Crimean Khanate Category:Volyn Oblast